Race For Heisman Should Be Discounted By 1 - Warrick

THE WARRICK FALLOUT - WHAT IT ALL MEANS - THE SPORTS COLUMN

Now Peter Warrick and Laveranues Coles have an idea just what a Polo really can cost you.

Everything.

The steep price of their arrogance may include a national title, a Heisman Trophy and Saturday's chest thumper against the Miami Hurricanes, for starters.

Only estimates can be placed on the damage Warrick and Coles' shady shopping spree inflicted on their teammates, their university and the football-mad city of Tallahassee.

Florida State faithful can thrust a foam index finger into the air but not proudly. Warrick and Coles do not want to put their necks near war-painted zealots who are doin' the tomahawk chop. They took all the fun out of being No. 1.

The Seminoles might not be atop any poll after Saturday or after Nov. 20 in Gainesville, their championship chase undermined by two receivers who had out their greedy hands. FSU's game against Miami just became much more competitive without Warrick, the country's most dynamic playmaker. Ironically, this time when they meet, the Hurricanes are not the ones having their rights read to them.

Everybody in 'Nole Nation has to be holding their breath, wondering whether this Clothes Encounter involves more team members. How deep in the closets does it go?

Coach Bobby Bowden finally kicked the troubled Coles off the team. Warrick, suspended indefinitely, will not play against the 'Canes - or perhaps again.

And the only footage Heisman examiners will receive of Peter this week is his police mug shot, featuring him going to his left and right.

If Warrick is allowed to return and flourish, voters must weigh the off-the-field flip side: Can you give a guy the trophy who had it locked up ... if he was locked up himself?

No, you cannot. You cannot give it to a liar and thief. You cannot give college football's most coveted honor to someone who does not respect what it means. He flat blew it.

Harsh? Perhaps. But this was not a misunderstanding at the cash register. Warrick conceded this was not his first bogus transaction with an equally dishonest Dillard's store clerk. For a guy who shocked everyone by not going pro, he sure is acting like one. He knew the ruse and even arrogantly sloughed off the incident when it broke.

A Heisman winner should have a measure of class and character - not a kid who tries to keep a step ahead of the posse. Warrick didn't have the good sense to lay low, even after he had two other minor skirmishes with the law.

Warrick can start to make amends by removing himself from the race.

Players convicted of a felony are not eligible for the award. Athletes charged with a felony cannot participate in sports at FSU, meaning, unless the case is reduced to a misdemeanor, the Warrick mess is out of Bowden's control.

Even if is the charge is reduced, Bowden should spare us a controversial Heisman vote by dismissing Warrick, reinforcing a message against wrongdoing. If he tries to spin this, he tests his image as Saint Bobby. He also needs to make Peter - and future Peters at FSU - pay the piper.

Years after the Foot Locker scandal, FSU again will be dressed down after Warrick and Coles were booked with grand theft. A court of public opinion already has found them guilty of stupidity in the first degree.

They were accomplices with Rachel Myrtil, 19, a starry-eyed store clerk at Dillard's in the Tallahassee Mall. She winked and sold them pricey designer merchandise - Polo, Nautica and Tommy Hilfiger garb - dirt cheap.

Investigators said Myrtil sold Warrick and Coles items worth $412.38 for $21.40. What the three also discounted was the fact a videotape was rolling, recording Myrtil, who was under suspicion.

Warrick finally 'fessed up and changed his original yarn, telling authorities he knew Myrtil and did business with her before. Warrick is said to be ``remorseful.'' Easy to say now that he has been caught on tape.

Could we all say we'd resist taking such a discount from a friendly merchant? The other question is this: Would you still do it if you knew that by next summer, you would inherit millions of dollars? That's what's going to happen to Warrick.

He'll be a top-five NFL draft pick. He'll be able to buy all the Polos he wants then - if not sooner (paging Tank Black, paging Tank Black). But as a star of stars, Warrick didn't want to wait to get a Dillard's charge card. He took another risk that backfired, and more than just Peter was hit by the shrapnel of consequences.

Right now Peter Warrick is anything but fashionable at FSU. There is wear and tear.